Switch-box for electric trucks.



swncu BOX FOR; ELECTRIC TRUCKS..

vAPPLICATION FILE APR: 16, 1913.

1513933954., v I Patented May 18,1915.

. Fig.1 V 1 2 25 2,7 age- 91 310 7 35 Fig. 3

Q C inventor" By 7 F1] Atto rn a swIrcH-nox non ELECTRIC rn ucxsa To all, whom it may concern:

'iBeit known that 1, WILLIAM C. CARR, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch Boxes for Electric Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in switch boxes and primarily to boxes of that class designed to be used on electric trucks or the like.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a simple,'-strong and compact switch structure which is inclosed and protected within a separable'box or housing attached to a suitable portion of the truck or other vehicle. i

This invention also relates to certain details of construction which will be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which a preferred adaptation of the invention is shown. I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an electric truck equipped with the improved switch box with portions broken away to show the '.switch box' in position relative with other mechanism of the truck. Fig. 2 1s anQen- ,larged top plan view-of the improved sw1tch box with the cover or top member of the box removed from the lower member to expose the construction of the switch mechanism. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the improved box on line A A, Fig. I

2. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section through the improved box on the line B B, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section through the improved boxon the line C C, Fl 2. j

Tn referring to the drawings in detail, like numerals designate like parts in the pre-v ferred adaptation of the invention shown.

The casing or housing which constitutes the box proper of the switch mechanism consists of two members or parts, a lower or supporting member, 1, and an upper member or cover, 2 which is pivotally attached or hinged at one end to the lower supporting member 1, by means of a hinge or plvot pin, 3. The switch mechanism as shown consists of a slide 4, upon which the circuit connecting mechanism is mounted and a s A ENTOFFIGE.

' WILLIAM cHARIlns cm, or B'wm mw YORK. H

Specification of Lettcrs- Patent,

fastened to the top. surface .ofthe lower Patented May s, 1915. Application filed April 16, 1913. &aria1No. 761,458. x'

member, l'by bolts 6, as shown in Fig. 3. The shde, 4 of the switching mechanismis;

provided with a plurality of, circuit connect;- mg fingers, preferably-two, 7 and 8, which;

are mounted on spring plates, 9 being, fastened tosaid spring plates by screws,-.1 0' an d said spring plates 9, being in turn fastened to a supporting block 11. Thesup p'orting block 11 is mounted on the slide, ,4 and is thoroughly insulated from said-slide byja strlp of insulating material or fiber 12. The block 11, together with the .fiber strip. 12,.

is fastened to the slide 4,1by bolts, 13, as

shown in Figs. 2'and 3. A jumper 14,;of, L .70

braided wire or some other suitable conducting material extends between and is "fastene'd to the fingers 7- and 8, electrically connecting said fingers, andthey allowthe elec tric current to pass from one finger to the other. The supporting block,11, has alaberal extension," 15, which .is longitudinally hollowed or groovedout on its underside as shown at 16, in Fig. 3- and a lockspi'ing, 17 which is fastened to thetop surface of' a block of insulating material. or fiber, 18 by screws, 19 with a bent portion 20 which is adapted to spring into the groove 16, and thus lock the slide in its circuit closing pojsi-l tion, as shown in Fig. 3. A connecting rod a 21, passes through 'an opening in and is supported by a boss, 22, extending from one end of.the lower member 1 and the innerend of the said rod, 21, is screwed into a slotted block, 23, which is ,adjustably fastened tojth'e slide by a shouldered screw,24.' The slot 25, in the block 23, extends lengthwiseof said block and said block is providedj'at one end with a vertical projection, 26, having an upper o'pening,27, through which one end 4 of a spring, 28, is fitted as shown in Fig. 3. The opposite end of the spring, 28, is fastened to'the head of one of the bolts, 13, by

a screw, 29, as shown in Fig. 3. The spring,

28, yieldingly connects the rod, 21, tothe slide and as the. screw 24, is fitted loosely in the slots 25, the" connecting rod is free to move independently of the slide the length of the slot against the tension of' the spring, thereby producing a spring tensioned'connection between the rod ands'lide.

A series of fixed electric terminals, preferably three, which are separately designated by the numerals, 30, 31 and 32, extend vertically down through openings in the lower member, 1, of the casing and the insulating block, 18, being mounted on the'top surface -'of said member and each being provided with a top T shaped head, 33, as-shown in Fig. 5, and contact plates which are also preferably three in number, and designated by the numerals, 34, 35 and 36, are mounted on said terminal heads, being fastened thereon by screws, '37, fitted in counter screw openings, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The

contact plates are so located and arranged that at first alow speed is cut in by the spring finger,-8, contactingwith the contact plate, 34, which completes an electric circuit through a suitable resistance and thereby a friction movement of the slide finger, 8, contactswith the contact plate, 35, and completes an electric circuit directly with the battery cutting out the resistance. The contact plates, 34- and 35, extend transversely of,

the box and contact plate, 36, extendslongitudinally and'a't one side of the-transverse contact plates, 34 and 35. The spring finger,

7,'is always in contact with'the longitudinal contact-plate,36, at some point on its surface when the motor 1s in operation as will' be 5 serves to complete the-electric circuit. The

noted by referringto Figs. 2 and 3 and thus terminals, 30, 31 and 32 are held in position by smalldownwardly projecting pins, '38,

which fit into corresponding holes in the in:

"sulated block,18, as shown in Fig. 5. The

- terminals are thoroughly insulated from the lower memberl, by the tubular fiber'.bush-' ings, 39, and fiber washers, 40, are located beneathIthe lower'member, 1, as shown in; 1 Fig. 5.

In Fig. 1 the improved switch'box is shown attached in operating positionto' an electric storage battery truck, a portion of which is broken away to disclose the switch box.. In said Fig. 1 the switch box as a whole is designated by the numeral 42, and.

is mounted on the frame 43,.of the truck directly over the rear axle, 44.- The connect-' ing rod, 21, is connected-to a rock arm, 45, which is manually actuated and has a forw'ard'extension which is attached to brake,

46, on a counter shaft, 47 The counter shaft, 47, is connected by a chain, 48, to a motor which is adapted t,o be driven by electric power derived from a storage bar-- tery and in turn is operatively connected to the driver axle of the truck. The steering axle, 49, of the truck is turned by any well known manually controlled mechanism to steerthe truck.

It should be understood that while the 1mproved switch box is shown in'connection with a storage battery truck, it is equally adapted to and may be used in connection one fing with any electrically driven vehicle. Also that the parts of said improved switch box may be modified or changed or some altogether omitted within the spirit of the followingclaims without. departing from my turning it to the position shown in full lines in F1 3.

It will be noted that the switch mechanism is completely inclosed and protected within the casing when the upper member of said casing is closed againstthe lower member and is quickly exposed for repair or replacement when the upper member. is raised from the lower member. 3

I claim,

1. A switch mechanism consisting of a stationary. elementand a movable element and adapted to be moved into and out of circuit closing position with reference to the stationary element, said movable element including a slide and connecting rod having a slotted block loosely bolted to the slide, and I a spring for yieldingly tensioning. said connecting rod against a pull.

2. A switch mechanism including a casing,

a slide movable therein, contact fingers car-- ried by the slide, a projection movable with the slide. and extending laterally of the contact fingers, a member carried by the casing to interlock with the projection, an operating rod and a spring connection between said rod and slide.

' .3. A switch mechanism includlng a casing, I

a slide mounted therein, spaced electric contact fingers carried by the slide, fixed contacts arranged in the path of movement of said contact fingers, said fixed contacts including a pair of contacts to be engagedyby and a single contact to be engaged by the 0 ,her finger, the pair of contacts having the same dimension inthe plane of movement of the finger as. the single contact, a rod for operating the slide, and a spring yieldingly connecting said rod and slide.

4. A switch mechanism consisting of a stationary contact, a slide, a movable contact element, a spring strip: forming the sole connection between said slide and movable element, a connecting rod, and a spring forming the operative connection between said rod and slide.

5. A switch mechanism including a casing,

a slide mounted for movement therein, :5. block secured by the slide, said block having a lateral projectien formed with a notch in its under surface, a spring fixed to the easing and having the terminal form to engage the notch, fixed contactelements, and movable contact elements, having spring con-- with. WILLIAM CHARLES CARR.

Witnesses;

E. L. KLEINDINST, A. lslmasm 

